The SmackDown Countdown: Cody Rhodes

For eight years IGN's been teaming with THQ to bring you videos, screens, and information for every playable character in the latest WWE videogame, and this year is no different -- except for the fact that it's very different. Rather than hand you the entire roster at the onset of this feature and then profiling the people on it day by day, we're going to give you the roster one person at a time.

That's right; every day we'll be announcing a new character in the game.

Monday through Friday from now until the release of WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2009, we'll be profiling Superstars, showing their entrance, signature move, and finisher on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii. Now -- PSP, PS2, and DS users -- if you see the Countdown pop up on your channel with videos from the PS3, it's not a mistake. That appearance means that character is in your version of the game. We're hoping to have weekly updates to your media sections with platform-specific stuff.

We've got a long way to go, but keep in mind that you're a huge part of this Countdown. Both Friday Fights and the THQ&A are back this year. Every Friday -- in addition to the Countdown -- IGN will post either a match in its entirety or a quick developer Q&A. If you check the IGN SmackDown vs. Raw message board, you'll find threads where you'll be able to vote on who you want to see fight and in what match as well as post your questions for the developers.

Can you smell what we're cooking?

As the son of WWE Hall of Famer the "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, Cody Rhodes grew up admiring his father and watching him capture the imagination of wrestling fans worldwide. Now Cody is ready to carry on his father's legacy while carving out one of his own in WWE. Cody's road to success started when he teamed with Hardcore Holly, as the two captured the World Tag Team Championship in 2007.

Besides being the son of "the son of a plumber," Cody seems like he was destined for the squared circle. He had a stellar high school wrestling career, winning major tournaments before signing a deal with Ohio Valley Wrestling, WWE's developmental territory. While training for his debut on the big stage, Cody was honored when his father asked him to help induct him into the WWE Hall of Fame. It was highly emotional night for father and son, who are extremely close.

"He and I, we're like best friends, we're really close," Cody told WWE.com at the time. "So for us to be together – if ultimately he were to say, 'I don't want anything further to do with pro wrestling,' this would be a wonderful way to cap it off."

Now, with his father watching on, Cody Rhodes is thrilled to have an opportunity in WWE and show our fans that the legacy of the Dream lives on. The second-generation Superstar has already won championship gold twice, the first time obtaining the World Tag Team Championship with partner Hardcore Holly, and the second time turning on Holly with new partner and fellow wrestling scion, Ted DiBiase, to win the title again at Night of Champions.

Along with DiBiase, Cody Rhodes represents a new generation of Superstars that have the genetics, pride and confidence to go the distance. Rhodes has made his intentions clear: to make his own name in WWE, and he doesn't want anyone holding him back.Source: WWE.com